The National Peoples Party (NPP) which is currently in power in the state of Meghalaya has been recognised as a national party . The addition has taken the count of National Parties in the country to eight. The other parties with the tag of national party are Congress, BJP, BSP, NCP, CPI, CPI (M) and Trinamool Congress.
Criterion for Recognition as National Party
- A 6% vote share in the last Assembly polls in each of any four states, as well as four seats in the last Lok Sabha polls or,
- 2% of all Lok Sabha seats in the last such election, with MPs, elected from at least three states or,
- Recognition as a state party in at least four states.
Criterion for Recognition as State Party
- Two seats plus a 6% vote share in the last Assembly election in that state or
- One seat plus a 6% vote share in the last Lok Sabha election from that state or
- 3% of the total Assembly seats or 3 seats, whichever is more or
- One of every 25 Lok Sabha seats (or an equivalent fraction) from a state; or
- An 8% state-wide vote share in either the last Lok Sabha or the last Assembly polls.
The NPP has got the recognition as a state party in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland, besides Meghalaya. This enabled the recognition of NPP as the National Party. NPP has become the first political unit from the Northeast to get the recognition of the National Party.